Again it brings to mind Melanie Philip's observation that feminism is an ideology appealing to the adolescent and feminists remain so for most of their lives, while most women discover the biological clock and rediscover reality, often too late to procreate. In this case we have an exposition that effectively says the feminist heaven exists only in a children's toy land created by men (the apparently incompetent men of Mattel) a world maintained by the magic of a child's imagination rather than by the real effort and work the real world requires. Rather like Marie-Antoinette's pretend village in the grounds of the massive royal palace where she and her ladies and gentlemen could pretend to be shepherds and milkmaids. And of course this is its appeal, rather like the songs women delight in from soul divas. And then for most real life intrudes. I suppose for the well off or those aspiring to be so it is seductive for their whole lives. But for others its just a cheap pop song.

Way back in the seventies there was in the UK a strong strand of feminism against Barbie, fashion, "beauty" and so on, the huge "new" (about 20 years after the USA) consumer society. It is curious how this has been completely eclipsed by a feminism that is devoted to consumption. Just today in a casual conversation with my son he expressed amusement that his partner was bemoaning the £40+ she spent each month getting her "nails done". The amusement was that she couldn't grasp the idea that she could simply not have them "done" but keep them neat herself. As he said its not like there is a law. But it is an illustration of the strange alliance between so much of the retail industries with feminism. From faddy diets to throw away fashion to endless cremes and potions, and dolls and toys there is actually a massive wave of consumption, often now labelled "empowerment".

Barbie the movie seems to be the apotheosis of this. Look beautiful, keep your figure, wear the right dress and have a lovely sash, and you can be President!